Bus Oscars

At a luncheon ceremony in London on November 18 2004, bus companies and bus service initiatives from around the UK were presented with the Bus 'Oscars' for 2004 by Sir Bill Morris. Lancashire County Council won the INFRASTRUCTURE AWARD, BUS in the COUNTRYSIDE AWARD and BUSES for PLEASURE AWARD.

This year's UK Bus 'Oscars' confirm excellence and best practice is no longer the privilege of the lucky few. Good, efficient and effective bus services are now widespread across the UK, particularly where partnerships between operators and local authorities demonstrate ‘joined-up thinking' and initiate transport integration.

Previous Bus ‘Oscar' winners consolidated past performance with Harrogate & District Travel picking up two awards, the CfIT Award for Customer Service and the Viacom Outdoor Marketing Award for Bus Operators, and Lancashire County Council taking three awards, for Buses in the Countryside, Buses for Pleasure and the Award for Infrastructure.

Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards

Every year since 1987, the most outstanding examples of international road safety initiatives are given public recognition through the Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards. This year Lancashire County Council’s Road Safety Group was recognised for its achievement and innovation in two pioneering schemes that have made an invaluable contribution to road safety. One award was received for the Speed Awareness Course, which is offered as an alternative to a fine and penalty points for speeding. Designed by the Road Safety Group, the course is currently managed, administered and run by the Group on behalf of Lancashire Constabulary. On average, over a thousand clients per month take up the course. Their positive feedback is reflected in the success of gaining this award. The secret behind the success of this pioneering course is based on the structure encompassing both theory and practical elements.

A commendation was also awarded to the Right Start programme which aims to provide pedestrian training to all 5 to 7 year olds in Lancashire. The three-tiered progressive programme is also based on theory and practical sessions. Since 1999, over 22,000 children have benefited from this free but essential service, which makes use of invaluable input from volunteering adults, including parents. This cascade system of training has enabled the Group to reach this high target in such a short time throughout the County of Lancashire. The Road Safety Group received their awards on Tuesday 26 October at the Jarvis Hotel, Leyland from Adrian Walsh, Director of RoadSafe, the organisers of the award scheme. In the last few years Lancashire County Council has received no less than four Prince Michael Awards – “an achievement in itself, but one which could only have been achieved with outstanding leadership and a huge commitment from a dedicated team with great community support”, Adrian commented. Winners of all the awards are invited to meet HRH Prince Michael of Kent at a Gala Presentation to be held annually in December where HRH will present the Premier Award to the most outstanding award winner of any category. Lancashire County Council is definitely making its mark in 2004 also having recently been awarded both the National Transport Authority of the Year Award and the national Road Safety Award.

WINNER Transport Local Authority of the Year

Lancashire County Council has been named Transport Local Authority of the Year by judges in the prestigious National Transport Awards. The award is given for an overall contribution to the provision of innovative and sustainable transport solutions in local communities. The judges for this award visited Lancashire in May meeting staff and councillors to gain a better understanding of the unique range of transport projects which made up Lancashire's entry. Click below to read the award entry in full:

(Transport Local Authority of the Year, pdf file, 408kb)

WINNER Road Safety Category - National Transport Awards

Lancashire's record in delivering effective road safety projects was also recognised as the authority scooped the award in the Road Safety category beating Hull City Council and the London Borough of Bromley. Click below to read the road safety award entry in full:

(Road Safety Category, pdf file, 319kb)

County Councillor Jean Yates comments "This is fantastic news and I am very proud of the whole team. These awards are a recognition of all our hard work and the fact that Lancashire leads the way in the development of innovative transport projects"

Lancashire County Council also made the following submissions:

Our entry in the Rural Transport Category of the National Transport Awards won 'Highly Commended'.

(Rural Transport Category, pdf file, 275kb)

(Traffic Management Category, pdf file, 341kb)

(Travel Information Category, pdf file, 526kb)

Lancashire County Council has been awarded the coveted 'Beacon Status' in recognition of its work in 'Supporting the Rural Economy'. This award recognises the work Lancashire County Council has done to regenerate and support the county’s rural economy. Beacon status is given for innovation and excellence by councils in a particular field. Lancashire's has been given in recognition of its support for rural communities and rural economies. Government inspectors were handed a portfolio of evidence following a recent visit to Lancashire. After studying the evidence the inspectors decided to nominate the County Council for the award.

These strategies were formed with an emphasis on countryside management but have evolved into an integrated rural regeneration strategy which encompasses all aspects of the Council’s service delivery. The strategy has provided a framework for directing and co-ordinating the work of the County Council, the Lancashire Unitary and District Councils and a wide range of other public, private and voluntary sector agencies all working to support every aspect of the county’s rural economy.

Included in the portfolio were details of projects like Bowland Transit, Lancashire Rural Futures, the Lancashire Tourism Partnership's award winning Short Breaks Campaign and the BBC's Mobile Zone. These projects illustrate the County Council's continuing commitment to developing and supporting rural areas.

The County Council is the lead partner in the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Joint Advisory Committee. This group has successfully implemented over a hundred conservation projects including stockproofing ancient woodlands, dry stone walling, footpath and bridleway improvements and pond creation.
Working in partnership with other parties has also led to the creation of the Forest of Bowland (AONB) Action Plan 2000-2010. This ten-year plan identifies priority projects based on four themes - Social equity and economic opportunity, Natural and cultural heritage, Enjoyment and Co-ordination and management of the partnership.

The Leader of the County Council, Councillor Hazel Harding said: ‘It is excellent that the work we have been doing for a number of years in rural areas has been recognised in this way. We regularly receive plaudits for our efforts but Beacon Status is perhaps the most coveted award in local government.

Our new status means that we will be able to share the skills and expertise we have built up with other authorities. The benefits that residents in Lancashire’s rural communities have become accustomed to could therefore become part of life more many people in other parts of the country.

While this is an award for our recent work it must also be remembered that there is excellent work being done right through the County Council. Our small schools initiatives and the work being done by social services for older people in our more remote communities truly add value to rural life.’

Nick Raynsford, Local Government Minister, said: “We are delighted that Lancashire County Council has achieved Beacon status for the first time. The authority’s achievement is a real example of how a good service can make a real difference to people’s lives. “Excellent public services should be a goal we all strive towards. Not least because they have such a direct bearing on all our lives. We all want well run schools for our children, safe and efficient transport, decent housing and good quality care for the vulnerable in our society. “That’s where the Beacon scheme is helping. Lancashire’s Beacon award marks the authority’s achievement and recognises the hard work of the staff at the frontline of delivering services.
“But just as importantly, Lancashire County Council will now help other authorities learn from its experience so that authorities across the country might provide services that meet the standards of the best.”

Ann Finch, a senior road safety adviser at Lancashire County Council, was awarded a commendation in the annual Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards. The prestigious awards, which recognise outstanding innovation and achievement in road safety, were presented by HRH Prince Michael of Kent at the Savoy Hotel to a handful of individuals and organisations. Ann was highly commended for her Big Book, an A1 sized, colourful all-in-one resource for teachers to use with 5 and 6 year-old children. The book is filled with road safety and play safety messages, along with teaching notes, interactive discussion points and activity sheets.

The Lancashire Countryside Service, Public Rights of Way Section has been awarded the Charter Mark for excellence in customer service. The independent Judging Panel was satisfied that the Public Rights of Way section provided an exceptionally high quality of service for it's users. congratulations to everyone involved - this is not an award that is easily won and this is a tribute to your organisation. The Public Rights of Way Team is responsible for managing rights of way totalling 3716 miles and facilitating access to Lancashire's countryside. The Team is part of the Lancashire Countryside Service, which was formed in 1998 from various activities within the Environment Directorate of Lancashire County Council.

The newly completed Aisled Barn Visitor Centre at Wycoller Country Park near Colne, officially opened by County Councillor Tim Ormrod, Cabinet Member for Public Protection and Rural Affairs, earlier this year has won a prestigious national award. The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) held their National Awards Ceremony in Birmingham this week and the Aisled Barn Project was one of the elite group of buildings singled out for praise across Britain and the European Union. The winners now go forward for consideration for the Stirling Prize.
Although a relatively small project carried out on behalf of the County Council by Hakes Associates of London, the Visitor Centre was in exalted company including multi-million pound buildings and renowned architects.

The seventh annual Bus Industry Awards took place at the London Hilton, once again showcasing best practice in the industry. Over 1000 applications were submitted and Lancashire County Council submitted 4 entries. Of these, two were shortlisted, which is an achievement in itself. The two shortlisted entries were for Carnforth Connect and our traveline SMS service. The Carnforth Connect narrowly failed to win a prize, but was highly commended. However our traveline SMS service won second prize for Innovation. The traveline SMS service is a joint venture between Lancashire County Council and Skycastle Ltd to provide public transport information using text messages via peoples mobile phones. Lancashire created the first text service in 2000 and has pioneered the service, which is now being adopted nationally by traveline on behalf of the Government. The award was presented to CC Nora Ward at the London Hilton by Dr. David Begg, Chair of the Commission for Integrated Transport.

The Information and Marketing Group is the first group in the Environment Directorate to be awarded the Investors in People Standard. To achieve the Standard we had to demonstrate our commitment to staff training and development. We were already carrying out various activities such as group training days and team working however IIP helped us to focus on the improvements we needed to make and the new initiatives, such as staff appraisals, that we needed to introduce. Working towards the Standard was enjoyable as well as being really worthwhile. Staff is an organisation’s most valuable resource and staff development helps the group to function more effectively and achieve its goals. The Information and Marketing Group is made up of 16 staff and is headed by Howerd Booth. The group produces public transport timetable leaflets for the whole of Lancashire. We also look after the TravelWise campaign, which promotes alternative forms of transport to the car.

Awards won (in chronological order) for Lancashire County Council's Local Agenda 21 And Environmental Policy Work. 1991 United Nations Commission on Environment and Development award for Green Audit (as part of preparations for 1992 UN Earth Summit in Rio). 1994 European Urban and Regional Planning Awards - Regional Category Joint Winner for 'Planning for Sustainable Development' which featured Green Audit and how it was feeding into the Lancashire Structure Plan. Award given by European Commission and European Council of Town Planners. 1996 European Sustainable Cities and Towns Campaign - Certificate of Distinction for having achieved significant progress in the development of a long term action plan towards sustainability. 1996 LCC one of only six LAs in the UK to participate in the Sustainable Communities Project. Award presented by Going for Green / Rt Hon Earl Ferrers, Minister for Environment and Countryside. 2000 LCC is selected to participate in the UK Councils for Climate Protection Pilot project run by IDeA / LGA which is transferring a methodology for preparing greenhouse gas a emissions inventory to the UK. Part of a global campaign run by the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives which involves over 400 LAs in 41 nations. 2001 LCC is selected to participate in national pilot to look at 'resource flow in the public sector' run by Waste Watch and Ernst and Young.